Feelings on Declawing

[Celista]

You never replied me when I asked what "in most cases" all animal behavior has reasons though. Like what do you actually mean by that, especially after you needed to make that point about "all animal behavior is because of poor training"?????

And like, at what point is the person allowed to say "welp, tried everything, time to declaw"? Who makes that decision? Even if there is that one in a million cat who actually gets a better quality of life (NOT quantity) from declawing, lots of lazy people will get their cat declawed because "well I tried everything" after a week and might end up with a cat with even worse problems (= resulting in the cat getting euthanized or abandoned anyway) if declawing "after you've tried everything" is acceptable.

You should reread the post I wrote, and you quoted, because it's literally the first sentence.

I think vets should make that decision. They're the ones who would be performing the surgery and are hopefully ethically motivated towards the well-being of the animal. They should ask the right questions in order to determine cause of behavior and what action(s) the owners took before pursuing declawing.

The OP stated outright that the vets he took the cat to viewed the surgery as a better last-measure alternative to euthanasia. Obviously not everyone here agrees, but I agree with that point of view, even if I would not declaw/debark/crop an animal myself, under any circumstances.

[SirMeo]

I never said it was a matter of opinion, I know for sure that it can absolutely be destructive for them. All I'm saying is
that it is not 100% guaranteed that it will be, and that it is not the worst form of animal abuse an owner can be done
towards this animal like some of the more irrational posters make it out to be.

If I had the choice, I wouldn't have had my cat declawed, but she was, and she didn't suffer for it. I'm just playing
Devil's Advocate here.

That being said, if she did suffer, I would've never forgiven my father (as it was his house, his rules at the time).
I have another cat now and have 0 intentions of declawing her.

"Well, it could be worse" is a bad argument. Like I could house my hamster in a pickle jar with holes pocked on top but at least I'm not setting his fur on fire on a daily basis!

(like there are cases when minimum standards being a bit less than they should be can be acceptable, but it's sometimes holding animal welfare back. People always defend their poor practices with "could be worse" even when the animals are demonstrably suffering.)


Please also remember that animals can take a lot of pain and discomfort before they actually start showing it.

[Nidhögg]

100% against it, its cruel to the cats and in no way necessary. I´ve had cats in my family since I was a little kid (30+ years now), and have never had a problem with them clawing on things.
My current cat was an indoor-only cat when we lived in an apartment, there she had several clawing trees, a claw board with catnip, and we reguarly cut her claws.
Never had a scratch on the furniture that wasnt accidental (ie she got scared by a noise while sleeping on the couch, and ran away which once or twice left a small scuff mark). She was happy with her trees, and because we cut her claws frequently they never got sharp.

Now, we live in a house, and she is mostly outdoors (in at night to sleep and while we are at work), now we never cut her claws because there are other cats in the area and foxes in the woods, so she would need to be able to defend herself.
Still no problems, she uses the trees and never scratch anywhere else.

My parents used to have a cat that they would allow to claw on a couch in a guest room that was rarely used ("its old and worn out anyway, might as well let the cat have some fun"). He had his corner on that couch to scratch, and clawing trees, but never touched any other furniture.
Then they replaced the couch with a new leather couch, which the cat of course started scratching, but it was their own fault since they had let the cat do that.
They realised they would never be able to teach him to stop so I got the cat, a couple of years later they moved and took the cat back, and he never touched the leather couch he had before, because now it was in a new location and so it wasnt "his" corner where he used to claw.

And theres always a solution thats guaranteed to alter cats behavior, when used a couple of times:

[Tinykong]

If shelter employees can't find a new home for a cat it obv will be killed, but death in this case is a way better outcome than declawing

I've known a lot of cats that were declawed that are perfectly normal. My parents have always declawed their cats, they have one that is 20 something years old, and two that are 15-16. None of them have any weird problems. I had a cat that lived beyond 20 that was declawed as an adult cat, never had any problems.

Not every cat that is declawed turns into a cripple that has such a terrible quality of life that it would be better off being killed. My god the hyperbole.

[SirMeo]

-snip-

Sadly I think even "good" vets that perform declawing can be pressured to it if you say you will just abandon your animal even if they recommend otherwise, or you can shop around until you find a vet who does.

Declawing just should not be an option -- it isn't an option in many countries, and as said, those countries are not worse off because of their lack of interest in letting animals get mutilated for human convenience reasons.

I've known a lot of cats that were declawed that are perfectly normal. My parents have always declawed their cats, they have one that is 20 something years old, and two that are 15-16. None of them have any weird problems. I had a cat that lived beyond 20 that was declawed as an adult cat, never had any problems.

Not every cat that is declawed turns into a cripple that has such a terrible quality of life that it would be better off being killed. My god the hyperbole.

How many of those cats were cats who "absolutely had to" be declawed because they just had so many things going against them?

So... uh, I thought you were for declawing when it's a last resort, but you know lots of people who declaw their cats? Somehow I don't think all those cats required declawing. Are you ok with what those people who know are doing?

[Tinykong]

How many of those cats were cats who "absolutely had to" be declawed because they just had so many things going against them?

So... uh, I thought you were for declawing when it's a last resort, but you know lots of people who declaw their cats? Somehow I don't think all those cats required declawing. Are you ok with what those people who know are doing?

You do realize that I have no control over what other people do? My parents have declawed all their cats, and even if I don't agree with it (and as already stated I don't) their cats are not crippled or lame. I've had friends with declawed cats that were otherwise normal. I've had a cat that was declawed and otherwise normal.

That's proof enough for me that declawing has an appropriate place as a last resort for cats that would otherwise be killed. You're free to disagree.

[FlatBootyJudy]

So, how does everyone feel about declawing cats?

We just got our cat declawed Monday, and I was actually surprised how many Vets in my area do it. We called 10 of them to check and compare prices, and only one clinic didn't declaw. I had thought it was shunned, but it still seems readily available. Our cat was getting pretty destructive, we had to have a section of our dry wall and base board replaced because she felt it was a good clawing post (even though she has clawing posts to use) and actually clawed a hole in our wall.

The cost was pretty high, around $400, but in the long run we will probably save on replacing items in our house.

I believe it's illegal to do in Europe, right? My mother in law is bringing her cat over from Germany (they are stationed there) to get it declawed here because she can't do it out there.

Nothing is wrong with declawing. If you couldn't declaw cats there would be a lot less cat owners, that means a lot more dead cats.

[Hyral]

I kinda feel declawing should require the owner to go through the same operation.

[dr2022]

It is a disgusting practice, and shouldn't be up to debate. Get a fucking water sprayer and a nail clipper, or don't be a cat owner.

Just because a a behavior annoys doesn't make it okay for you chop off their toes.

[Cebel]

I'm against it; however, I've been lucky enough to not be put in your position, so can't just there. The thing I ask of those who declaw is to please keep your cat inside.

My first cat was declawed ( keep in mind this was before it was shunned and people didnt really understand how bad it was ), and he loved going outside. He killed probably 1000 birds and 1000 mice in his day. He'd jump 20 feet in the air, pop a bird in the head, and bite it to death while it was stunned. Lmao.

[Themius]

Nothing is wrong with declawing. If you couldn't declaw cats there would be a lot less cat owners, that means a lot more dead cats.

Well then maybe they should be dead... look at all the strays.

[Celista]

It is a disgusting practice, and shouldn't be up to debate. Get a fucking water sprayer and a nail clipper, or don't be a cat owner.

Just because a a behavior annoys doesn't make it okay for you chop off their toes.

I think most people underestimate how much effort it can take to deter negative behaviors in cats.

[Deleted]

Fully illegal here and even in places where it is legal many vets won't do it due to ethical reasons.

[dr2022]

I think most people underestimate how much effort it can take to deter negative behaviors in cats.

Not really an effort, just takes time and patience. Better than chopping it off.

[Celista]

Not really an effort, just takes time and patience. Better than chopping it off.

I had a cat with a scratching problem, nowhere near as bad as the OP but I was very patient and tried everything and his behavior didn't change, except to not scratch the furniture in my presence, lol. I'd of course see the aftermath later...

I didn't declaw but after spending every day for a year trying everything under the book to mitigate scratching/batting the blinds, nothing worked. Water bottle didn't work, he'd just go immediately back at it. Redirecting didn't work, positive reinforcement of positive behaviors didn't work. So I understand where the OP is coming from.

I miss my cat, he was a good boy. But cats are barely domesticated and aren't pack animals, and once a habit is ingrained it is hard to break. For some cats it is more difficult than others.

A lot of cat owners just put up with it.

[Lollis]

If you care about your furniture more than your pet's wellbeing, you shouldn't own a pet.



If it is medically justifiable, declawing, docking, cropping, etc. then fine. But in every other case, is is abhorrent.

[dr2022]

I had a cat with a scratching problem, nowhere near as bad as the OP but I was very patient and tried everything and his behavior didn't change, except to not scratch the furniture in my presence, lol. I'd of course see the aftermath later...

I didn't declaw but after spending every day for a year trying everything under the book to mitigate scratching/batting the blinds, nothing worked. Water bottle didn't work, he'd just go immediately back at it. Redirecting didn't work, positive reinforcement of positive behaviors didn't work. So I understand where the OP is coming from.

I miss my cat, he was a good boy. But cats are barely domesticated and aren't pack animals, and once a habit is ingrained it is hard to break. For some cats it is more difficult than others.

A lot of cat owners just put up with it.

My was super scratchy when I first got her. Every time she would scratch anything that is not her scratching post i'd spray her a little. It took sometime, but she got it.

But yeah, cats have different personalities.

[Sunseeker]

It's horrifying. It's like cutting off the final bone on all your fingers.

There are alternatives that place a rubber "cap" over the nail, works just as well, no chopping off kitty fingers.

As @Arikan mentions, it should be limited to extreme circumstances.

Our cat likes to claw on things she shouldn't sometimes. A spray bottle or a bop on the head does wonders.

[Putin-Chan]

My parents declawed our cat when I was a kid, I didn't know how it'd hurt the cat, and if I knew then, I would have protested.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

We did it with our first cat. After that we would never do it again. It just seem to break the poor guys spirit. Felt so selfish and it was true.

If you can't handle your dog chewing stuff don't remove its teeth. If you can't handle your cat clawing than don't remove parts of its feet. These are just part of having these animals.